Apparatus for controlling humidity conditions in air



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P. A. HERR Oct. 9, 1956 APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING HUMIDITY CONDITIONS2l, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY AIR P. A. HERR f Oct. 9, 1956 APPARATUS FORCONTROLLING HUMIDITY CONDITIONS IN 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 2l, 1953Oct. 9, 1956 P. A. HERR APPARATUS FOR coNTRoLLING HUMIDITY Filed oct.21, 195s.

CONDITIONS IN AIR 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 oct. 9, 1956 P. A. HERR/ 2,766,027

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING HUMIDITY CONDITIONS IN AIR Filed Oct. 2l, 19534 Sheets-Sheet 4 7 L* 5 a 559 Q? l 'l @u l j INVENTOR FE1 5 @mM/5 9g/wa,i-/ Y BY APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLIN G HUMIDITY CONDITIONS IN AIR Paul A.Herr, Neifsville, Pa. Application October 21, 1953, Serial No. 387,343 2Claims. (Cl. 26.1-91) My invention relates broadly to apparatus forcontrolling humidity conditions in air and more particularly the balanceof the air stream.

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction of plenumhumidifier which includes a motorthe accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view through a plenum and thehumidifier of my invention with certain of the arent 2,766,027 PatentedOct. 9, 1956 through the lower portion of the atomizer unit on line 6 6of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the rotor of the atomizerunit; y

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of the rotor taken n line 8 8 ofFig. 7, and showing the motor-driven shaft in transverse section; p l

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional View through the rotor takensubstantially on line 9 -9 of Fig. 7; l

Fig. l0 is a vertical sectional view through the lower terminus of therotor and illustrating particularly the construction of the fluid intakefor the rotor; the insert for the end of the intake pipe beingillustrated in the position ready to be assembled in the lower vend ofthe intake pipe;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the insert andthe end of the intake pipe in assembled relation;

Fig. l2 is a perspective view of the insert for the end of the intakepipe, where the insert is eut away and yillustrated in vertical section;

Fig. 13 is a horizontal sectional view through the intake pipe on line13*13 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 14 is a horizontal sectional view through the hub of the rotor online 1414 of Fig. 7.;

Fig. 15 is a horizontal sectional view taken through a portion of the-atomizing screen associated with the rotor on line 15-15 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the atomizing screen;

Fig. 17 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 17-17 0f Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is a perspective view showing the manner of installing theplenum humidifier of my invention with relation to a furnace; and

Fig. 19 is a typical wiring and assembly diagram showing the manner inwhich the plenum humidifier of my invention is 4arranged to control thehumidity of air force flowed through an air-conditioning system.

My invention is directed to apparatus for controlling central area foroperation of the intake and discharge functions of the humidifier.

'through flanges 5 and securing screws or bolts and nuts represented at6. The reservoir includes a top portion 9 which is provided with alateral reinforcement at 8 substantially coplanar with the side wall ofthe plenum and contiguous with the deector 7 which proiects into the airdistributing duct 1 for gathering a portion of the force flow of airtherethrough and directing the force ow of air into the reservoir. Thetop portion 9 of the reservoir includes a channelled peripheral edge 10which engages the upstanding edge of the reservoir 4 around which thegasket 11 fits and serves as a seat for the shaped hood 12. The shapedhood 12 is provided with a sealing channel 14 at its lower edge whichengages the sealing gasket 11 which envelopes the upstanding edge 10 ofthe reservoir. The hood 12 is attachable to the side wall of the plenum1 by means of screws or bolts and nuts 13 extending through flanges 12aand fastened to the marginal edges of the opening 3 in the furnaceplenum 1.

The top portion 9 has a central aperture 1S therein through which theatomizing unit 16 is mounted. The atomizing unit 16 is provided with amultiplicity of spaced block supports 17, 13, 19 and 20, each includingresilient mounts 17a, 18a, 19a and 20a which are mounted adjacent ribs17h, 18b, 190 and 20h disposed radially beneath the annular downturnedrim 21 of the atomizing unit. The rim 21 is integrally molded as part ofthe depending cylindrical housing 22 of the atomizing unit, drainapertures 22a and 22b being provided in the base of the housing. Thedepending cylindrical housing 22 includes inwardly extending pedestalsor ribs indicated more clearly in Figl 5 at 23, 24, 2S and 26 moldedinternally with the housing 22 with the aid of recessed core apertures,indicated in Fig. 4 at 23a, 24a, 25a and 26a. The pedestals or ribs23-26 serve as peripheral seats for the motor mounting plate 27 whichcontains radially eX- tending lugs 27a, 27 b, 27e and 27d, shown moreclearly in Fig. 2, disposed in radial alignment with the pedestals orribs 23, 24, 25 and 26 secured by means of bolts and cap screws 231),24h, 25h and 26b in a position peripherally spaced from the interiorwall of the depending cylindrical housing 22. The bolts 23h-26h havetheir heads molded within the pedestals 2.3-26 and have their threadedends extending upwardly through the lugs 27a-27d and engaged byremovable cap screws. The motor mounting plate 27 has a central aperture27f therein through which the hub 30 and shaft 31 of the driving motor28 extends. The driving motor is secured to plate 27 by means of bolts29. The motor mounting plate 27 is provided with a central seat 27ewhich insures a solid support for the motor. The outer portion of themotor mounting plate 27 terminates in a downwardly depending skirt 27gwhich forms a mounting means for the resilient skirt 55 on atomizerscreen S4 which extends downwardly in the housing formed between motormounting plate 27 and the bottom of the cylindrical housing 22.

The depending shaft 31 is provided with a key way 31a by means of whichthe rotor 32 is secured to shaft 31. The rotor 32 is molded from plasticand has a central bore 33 extending therethrough for receiving shaft 31,the bore 33 being formed in hub 34 which is disposed immediately below afrusto-conical portion or inclined face 35 of rotor 32 which connectswith the flat circular disc 42 of the rotor. There are passages 36formed in the hub 34 for the passage of narrow needle-like columns ofwater which are pumped from the reservoir 4 beneath the atomizer unit.Disc 42 is adjusted in its position on shaft 31 by set screw 37 whichextends through hub 34 on an angle that is accessible from a positionbeneath the rotor for adjustment of disc 42 to enable the disc 42 to becentered within the housing formed between the bottom of cylindricalhousing 22 and the motor mounting plate 27. Fluid is picked up fromreservoir 4 by means of depending central tube 38 whose lower teminus isshown more clearly in Figs. 10-13 as including an intake orifice 39containing an intake aperture 40 associated with an inclined guide wall41. When the terminus of the tube 38 containing the pickup intakeorifice 39 is revolved at high speed by driving motor 28 the fluid isskimmed from the pool of uid 46 and by centrifugal action of theinclined guide wall 41, the column of fluid is lifted through tube 38and forced in columns through passages 36 where it is distributed bydisc 42 for subsequent atomization. The disc 42 is provided with blades43 on the lower surface thereof which operate as a centrifugal pump forextracting a portion of the air flowing through the furnace plenum 1.The blades 43 are arranged on disc 42 in such positions that they coactwith the central aperture 44 in the bottom of the depending cylindricalhousing 22 for drawing the air from plenum 1 through the lter shown at63 and over the confining partition wall 45 of reservoir 4 and throughthe central aperture 44 for distribution through the atomizer screen 54,and through the annular passages 56 between the upper wall of thedepending cylindrical housing 22 and the peripheral edge of the motormounting plate 27 and in a path beneath hood 12 through aperture 3 whereit is returned to the force ow of air in plenum 1. The air as it isforce owed in the plenum 1 through the central aperture 44 passes overthe surface of the fluid 46 in reservoir 4, and picks up moisturetherefrom.

The level of the uid 46 in reservoir 4 is regulated by oat valve 47carried on angularly movable float valve arm 48 for controlling valve 49connected to fluid supply 50, leading to pipe line S1 to shut-oil valve52. A suitable overflow 53 is provided in one side of the reservoir 4. Adrain connection 57 is provided in the bottom of reservoir 4 connectedto drain pipe 58 in which there may be a shut-ott valve S9, as shown inFig. 19. The power circuit shown at 60 may be connected in various waysthrough the humidistat 61 to the furnistat 62 from which circuitconnections 28a extend to the driving motor 28. Thus the motor isenergized whenever conditions call for increased moisture and thedriving motor 28 is initiated in operation, pumping moist air throughaperture 44 and pumping liquid through depending tube 38 from the liuid46 in reservoir 4 where it is atomized by being sprayed in a thin filmwhich moves up inclined wall 35 and -s distributed in a thin iilm alongthe surface of ilat disc 42 where it is spattered against the atomizerscreen S4 in droplets which are broken down into a fine mist which isforce flowed through passages 56 under the hood 12 and returned throughaperture 3 to the plenum 1 where it mixes with the balance of the airbeing force flowed through plenum 1.

The air which is force flowed through plenum 1 is heated and is forcedunder pressure through the vertically extending duct indicated in Fig.18. Only a portion of the heated air which is owing at high velocitythrough the plenum 1 is skimmed off from the main body 'of the air owingthrough plenum 1 for treatment by the humidifier of my invention. Thisportion of the air after humidication is returned to the main body ofthe air in plenum 1 at a location displaced from the position at whichthe air is treated from the plenum 1 in the direction of the flow of theair through plenum 1.

A lter 63 is interposed between the air intake to the humidifier and theair passage between the upper edge of the confining partition wall 45and the aperture 44 leading to the atomizer unit. The filter 63 isconstructed in the form of a slide which operates in a guide 64 whichenables the filter to be readily removed and renewed from time to time.

The driving motor 28 may be connected in a variety of ways to thehumidistat through the furnistat and the diagram shown in Fig. 19 ismerely representative of one of several different arrangements and is tobe considered in the illustrative sense and not in the limiting sense.

I have found the humidier of my invention and the method of operationthereof highly eliicient and practhereof, the two parts of said casingconstituting upper tical, d while I have described my invention incertain and lower compartments, means for attaching each of embodimentsI realize that modifications may be made the two parts of said casingisi horizontal positions coverand I desire that it be understood that nolimitations ing the opening in the side of said duct, said lower comuponmy invention are intended other than may be impartment including a uidreservoir oifset from the lowei posed by the scope of the appendedclaims. portion of the opening in said duct, an air ilter dis- What Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters posed intermediate the saidlower portion of said open- Patent of the United States, is as follows:ing and said iluid reservoir, a horizontally extending 1. In ahumidifying system, a vertically extending air plate engageable over theperipheral edge of said uid distributing duct having an opening at oneside thereof, reservoir and projecting into said duct and forming a ahumidifier attached over the opening in the side of means for skimming aportion of the air -stream from said air distributing duct andprojecting horizontally said duct and diverting the air stream into saidlowei therefrom and comprising a reservoir for fluid, an aircompartment, means supported by said plate for atomizintake disposedabove said reservoir adjacent the opening the iluid in said reservoirwhile allowing the forced ing in the lower portion of the side of saidair distributiiow of the diverted air stream into said upper coiningduct, a filter interposed between said air intake and partment, theupper part of said casing comprising a one side of said reservoirimmediately above the surface hood detachably engaging at its horizontaledges the of the uid therein, an atomizer unit, means foratomizperipheral edge of said plate and said lower comparting the fluidin said reservoir, means for mixing air exment, and detachably engagingalong its vertical edges tracted from said air distributing duct withthe atomized the marginal portions of said duct around the openinfy uid,a hood forming part of said humidifier for directin the side thereofsaid hood operating to direct the ing the muted air and atomized fluidinto the air disatomized air in a direction of flow reversed withrespect tributing duct through the upper portion of the aforeto thedirection of entry of the air into said lower comsaid opening in theside of said duct at a position above partment for returning theatomized air to the air stream said air intake, said means for mixingair extracted from within said duct in a position immediately adjacentthe said air distributing duct with the atomized Huid being entry of theskimmed portion of the air stream into said supported over rsaidreservoir by a horizontal plate which lower compartment. divides saidhumidifier into two compartments and wherein said last mentioned meansincludes a rotary pressure References Cited in the file 0f tl'lS Patentfeed device having a central passage for air immediately above thesurface of the uid in said reservoir, the said UNITED STATES PATENTSplate extending beyond the limits of said reservoir and 2,006,627Cairncross July 2, 1935 into said air distributing duct and forming adeector 2,035,628 Whitmer et al. Mar. 31, 1936 for directing air intosaid air intake and guiding the 2,143,628 Lea Jan. 10, 1939 humidied airfrom said hood into said air distributing 2,187,778 Gardner Ian. 23,1940 duct. 2,242,802 Stramaglia May 10, 1941 2. In a humidifying system,a two-part casing, a verti- 2,379,932 Schoepin et al. July 10, 1945cally extending air distributing duct for confining the 2,399,862Feldermann May 7, 1946 ow of an air stream and having an opening in theside 2,524,160 Caduti Oct. 3, 1950

